Bruno Mars: Just Like the Old Days
The focus of Bruno Mars’ halftime performance at the Super Bowl was on exactly that – the performance. In contrast to the Grammys, there were no pre-show controversies or twerking concerns, or discussions about where Bruno Mars symbolized in larger society. It was about Mars, his band, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In fact, Mars was so good that the attention turned towards the Red Hot Chili Peppers forgetting to plug-in their guitars. See, you can trend on Twitter by being a good musician, too.
The performance also translated to traditional measures of success. It was the most watched halftime show in Super Bowl history with 115.3 million viewers (beating out Beyoncé from last year). His latest album Unorthodox Jukebox topped iTunes album downloads, and his debut album reached #3. He’s getting compared to Prince and Paul McCartney. And Bruno Mars is 28 years old.
On a night of commercials invoking nostalgia to sell everything from Budweiser to Chrysler 200’s, it was Mars who turned back the clock the most effectively. I found myself drinking a Coke, my mind wandering off to a simpler time, when music was music, and entertainers played their own instruments. Then Percy Harvin returned the opening the kick off of the third quarter for a touchdown, and my timeline exploded with Peyton Manning memes.
A New Era?
The selection of Bruno Mars, and Beyoncé the year before, deviated from the traditional rock bands that play the halftime show (Mars was joined by Red Hot Chili Peppers). Consider the list of the last 10 halftime performers:
2014: Bruno Mars
2013: Beyoncé
2012: Madonna
2011: The Black Eyed Peas
2010: The Who
2009: Bruce Springsteen
2008: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
2007: Prince
2006: The Rolling Stones
2005: Paul McCartney
2004: Janet Jackson
You could point out that with The Black Eyed Peas, Beyoncé, and Bruno Mars all performing within the last four years, the NFL is seeking out a younger audience for halftime shows. A Billboards poll has Lady Gaga as the early frontrunner to headline next year’s show, which has never featured a country singer or a rapper. With that in mind, I’ll throw Jay-Z’s name in the halftime performance ring – after all, he is the closest thing that hip hop has to Tom Petty or Bruce Springsteen in terms of longevity, public trust of taking over big moments, and pop culture significance (and throw in a song with Coldplay for good measure). Plus creating a scene at Super Bowl 49, held in Glendale, Arizona, is the type of bold move that Jay-Z’s other venture is becoming known for.
Scott Boras, You Over Baby
Roc Nation Sports is the sporting emblem of Jay-Z’s moving in a “room full of vultures”. In less than a year, they’ve caught the attention of the NFL by signing Geno Smith (not in a good way, and not a good sign since the league picks the halftime performer), picked off Kevin Durant, and ruffled baseball traditionalist feathers by signing Robinson Cano and CC Sabathia (they also reportedly went after Yasiel Puig and Yoenis Cespedes).
While Jay-Z has taken shots at baseball uber-agent Scott Boras (Cano is a former Boras client), what better way to plant a flag than playing a show in baseball’s backyard, on the biggest stage of the year? The Dodgers and White Sox have a spring training facility in Glendale. The Diamondbacks, Cubs, Reds, Indians, Rockies, Royals, Angels, Brewers, A’s, Padres, Giants, Rangers, and Mariners play in Arizona’s Cactus League. Signing Robinson Cano is cool. But you know what else is cool? Signing Cano, AND Joey Votto, AND Adrian Beltre, AND Buster Posey, AND King Felix. And being in the thick of negotiations that range up to nine figures.
Most likely, Lady Gaga or Katy Perry will end up headlining next year’s halftime show, Scott Boras will still be the most powerful agent in baseball, and the two previous paragraphs won’t even matter. But this underlying role of how sports are used as symbols for hip hop’s elite remains (see also: Drake and the Toronto Raptors, and Drake’s influence on Toronto FC). If Jay-Z headlined a Super Bowl halftime show, it wouldn’t be to further any music aspirations. Jay-Z used to wear throwback and authentic jerseys as a way to one-up his competition. Now, he decides whose names go on the back of those jerseys.
